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At a glance
This page covers 26 recalls and 2162 owner complaints for the 2018 Ford F-150.
Complaints about the 2018 F-150 center heavily on the powertrain, with transmission issues making up the largest share of what owners report. The 10-speed automatic draws the most attention: owners frequently describe hard, jarring shifts, unexpected downshifts at highway speed, and rough engagement when moving into reverse. Some report the truck briefly refusing to move when shifted into reverse, requiring a return to park before trying again. Harsh banging or slamming sensations during gear changes come up repeatedly across complaints. Engine-related reports form the second tier, though transmission behavior dominates the picture by a wide margin. Structural complaints round out the top three. The transmission shudder and unpredictable shift behavior patterns appear across a broad range of mileages, with some owners noting these issues surfacing well before 100,000 miles.
2,162
Total Complaints
63
Crash-Related
31
Fire-Related
38
With Injuries
By System
The 2018 Ford F-150 has 26 recalls, the most serious involving engine failure, a fuel leak fire risk, tires that can blow out suddenly, and a transmission that can roll the truck in an unintended direction.
Several recalls affect the drivetrain. On trucks with the 3.5L V6, cylinder heads may lack the oil passages needed to lubricate the camshaft, causing the engine to seize and the truck to stall in traffic. A separate issue affects vehicles with 10-speed automatic transmissions: a missing roll pin can cause the transmission to lose its Park function, allowing the truck to roll away after the driver exits even when the shifter shows Park. On 3.3L V6 models with a 6-speed transmission and column-mounted shifter, yanking the lever quickly from Park to Drive can cause the display to lose gear indication and briefly engage Reverse before finding Drive, moving the truck backward without warning. An earlier repair attempt for this shifter issue did not fully resolve the problem for some vehicles, requiring a second fix.
On the fuel system side, high-pressure fuel pump welds can fracture on 3.5L turbocharged engines, leaking oil or fuel near ignition sources and raising the risk of a fire. Block heaters on certain trucks can also corrode internally and cause wiring to overheat, and a prior repair for that issue may have damaged the cable splice, creating the same fire risk through a different path.
Two braking recalls cover brake master cylinders that leak fluid internally into the brake booster, causing a longer pedal travel, higher
At a glance
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What can fail
A software issue may cause daytime running lamps to stay on when you switch from autolamp to headlamp mode, preventing compliance with Canadian lighting regulations.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealership, where technicians will update your truck's body control module software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Quickly shifting from Park to Drive may cause the instrument cluster to lose gear display and momentarily engage an unintended gear like Reverse or Neutral.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When the headlight switch is moved from Autolamps to Headlamps On, the daytime running lamps stay at full brightness instead of dimming to parking lamp level as designed.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the body control module software at no cost to restore proper daytime running lamp dimming.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The brake master cylinder may develop a leak that allows brake fluid to seep from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
What the fix does
The brake master cylinder will be replaced. If it is leaking, the brake booster will also be replaced at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag warning label on the dashboard may be missing, which means the vehicle doesn't have the required safety information label.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you the warning label at no cost. Letters were sent December 19, 2024. Call 1-866-436-7332 with questions.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The brake master cylinder may develop a leak that allows brake fluid to seep from the front wheel circuit into the brake booster.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the brake master cylinder. If leaking is confirmed, the brake booster will also be replaced.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tailgate can unlatch and open while driving, allowing unsecured cargo to fall out of the truck bed onto the road.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealer, who will replace both the left and right tailgate latches.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tailgate latches on certain 2018 F-150 vehicles can unlatch unexpectedly while the vehicle is being driven.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both the left and right tailgate latches at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Certain Continental tires may have been over-cured during manufacturing, causing sidewalls to crack or tread and belts to separate. This can lead to sudden air loss and tire failure.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a dealer, who will inspect your tires and replace them if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Certain Continental tires on these vehicles may have been cured too long during manufacturing, which can affect tire integrity.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the tires and replace them as needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On certain F-150 trucks with LED headlamps and Autolamp control, the daytime running lamps stay bright instead of dimming to parking lamps when you switch from Autolamps to Headlamps On mode.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the body control module at no cost to restore proper lamp dimming when switching modes.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On trucks with LED headlights and automatic headlights, the daytime running lights don't dim to parking light brightness when you switch from automatic to headlights on. Canadian law requires them to turn off instead.
What the fix does
Ford will mail you instructions to visit a Ford or Lincoln dealer to update your truck's body control module software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Manual seat recliners may lack sufficient strength to meet Canadian safety standards. In a crash, a weakened seatback might not properly restrain an occupant.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the affected seat recliners and replace the seat structures as needed to restore proper strength and restraint capability.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front or rear seat recliner mechanism may be missing a critical locking pawl, causing the seat back to be loose and weak.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect your seat structure and replace it if needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine block heater cable's splice connector may have been damaged during a previous repair, creating a potential failure point.
What the fix does
Dealers will disable the engine block heater. When replacement cables are available, dealers will replace the heater cord at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Water and contaminants can enter the engine block heater cable's splice connector, causing corrosion and damage that may prevent the heater from working properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will disable the block heater cable at no cost. Once parts are available, dealers will replace the engine block heater cable at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
During a crash, the front seat belt pretensioner may deploy and create sparks that ignite carpeting or insulation in the B-pillar area.
What the fix does
Dealers will remove B-pillar insulation and wiring tape, then install heat-resistant tape to prevent ignition.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The high-pressure fuel pump may have been improperly made and could crack at its mounting point, causing fuel or oil to leak. If this leaked fuel contacts an ignition source, it could catch fire.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, discharge tube, and mounting bolts.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The high pressure fuel pump assembly has welds that can crack, potentially causing oil or fuel to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump and related parts at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A roll pin may be missing from the transmission, which could cause the Park function to stop working.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect your transmission and install the roll pin if it's missing, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The gear shift cable clip may not be properly seated, causing the transmission to operate in a different gear than what the shift lever shows.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the shift cable locking clip and properly seat it if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some 3.5L V6 engines have cylinder heads missing oil holes that lubricate the camshaft bearings. Without proper lubrication, the engine can fail suddenly while driving.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the entire engine.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On some vehicles with a 3.3L V6 engine and column-mounted gear shift, quickly moving the shifter from Park to Drive may cause the gear display to disappear briefly and Reverse to engage momentarily before Drive engages, risking unintended movement.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module with updated software to correct the shifter response.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When you quickly shift from Park to Drive, the gear indicator may disappear from the dashboard and the vehicle might briefly select Reverse or Neutral instead of Drive before moving forward.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module at no charge to correct the shift behavior.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some 2018 F-150s with 3.5L engines may have cylinder heads missing lubrication holes for the camshaft bearings, which can cause bearing damage.
What the fix does
The engine will be replaced at a Ford or Lincoln dealer. Ford will arrange transportation if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The structural roof braces lack rivets where they attach to the roof rail, which weakens the roof's structural integrity.
What the fix does
Dealers will install the missing rivets at the roof brace attachment points at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
